Peter Obi: Current System Rooted in Criminality, Must Be Dismantled in 2027
Peter Obi has defended his record of moving between political parties, saying he leaves when a party abandons principles and begins to run on transactions and personal interests.
The former Labour Party presidential candidate spoke on Arise TV on Monday, where he addressed why he has switched parties numerous times.
Obi said his first switch, from APGA to the PDP, was driven by a dispute with his successor as Anambra governor.
He said he chose to leave rather than allow the conflict to damage governance in the state.
“I moved from APGA to the PDP because of issues with my successor. Rather than allow it to become destructive to governance, I moved out,” he said.
He said the PDP offered no better environment, describing the party as one where members ignored rules and reduced politics to a game of favours.
“People were not playing by the rules. It was transactional. I cannot be part of a transactional system,” Obi said.
He also pointed to internal crises and legal disputes within the Labour Party as factors that eroded its viability as a platform.
Obi is currently working with opposition figures linked to the African Democratic Congress as part of efforts to build a unified front ahead of future elections.
He acknowledged public doubts about some of his new allies but said their past affiliations were less important than their current commitments.
“What is important is not what people were yesterday, but what they are today,” he said.
He said the broader goal was to rebuild an opposition capable of offering Nigerians accountable leadership, and warned that he would not walk away from that fight regardless of obstacles.
“We are ready to work with people who are committed to change. If the process is compromised again, we will continue the fight,” he said.
Obi also described the current political system as one rooted in criminality that needed to be dismantled.
“We must dismantle this criminality that exists today,” he said.
Obi formally registered as a member of the ADC on March 7, completing his registration at his hometown in Agulu, Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, during the party’s membership registration and mobilisation exercise across the state’s 21 local government areas.
At the event, he said the South-East was working as a bloc for the 2027 elections and called on supporters to mobilise voters at the grassroots.
“In this particular journey of 2027, we in the South-East are working as a family and we are discussing with other regions. We are working to unite all opposition. The common goal is to create a new Nigeria,” he said.
